Camay’s husband Romil, a former chairman of their barangay, was hurt in the attack along with one Giovani Liquigan, helper of a beer delivery truck that the couple passed by.

Rodilyn and Romil were travelling along a road in Brgy. Aguada on a motorcycle, when unidentified men “waylaid” and shot them with caliber-.45 pistols, Manondo said in an emailed report.

Liquigan, who was unloading beer from a truck parked beside the road, was hit by a stray bullet, he said.

Rodilyn and Romil were brought to the Cataingan District Hospital but doctors declared the former dead.

Romil and Liquigan were later transferred to the Masbate Doctors Hospital in Masbate City for further treatment.

Senior Superintendent Prexy Tanggawohn, officer-in-charge of the Masbate provincial police, ordered local lawmen to look into all possible motives for the attack to help speed up the identification of the assailants. (John Roson)

A cameraman of the local affiliate of international media network CNN died after being shot by a still unidentified assailant in what police initially see as a work-related killing, in Imus City, Cavite, early Thursday.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), citing information from Oldan’s colleagues, said he was seen talking to somebody but witnesses saw him running a few minutes later, then he was shot to the head.

After the incident, the assailant fled with the weapon used, Estomo said, adding that Imus police have interviewed some bystanders who might have seen the incident.

Estomo said investigators see a possible link between the killing and Oldan’s work as a cameraman.

CNN Philippines, meanwhile, condemned the incident and demanded justice for the slain cameraman.

“We deplore the killing of our colleague… We demand that his assailant/assailants be brought to justice. CNN Philippines condemns this act and will spare no effort to bring the criminal/criminals to justice,” the company said.

“If proven to be work related, Oldan will be the third journalist to be killed this year, 27th under the Aquino presidency and 167th since 1986,” the NUJP said.

Estomo said he has created Special Investigation Task Group “Oldan” to conduct a deeper probe into the incident. (John Roson)

A local official of an international humanitarian group providing aid to victims of super-typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) died after being shot in Estancia, Iloilo, police said Saturday.

Two men on a motorcycle shot the 24-year-old Tenefrancia in Brgy. Canoan around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Salinas said by phone.

Tenefrancia suffered four bullet wounds to the body and was brought to the hospital, but expired along the way, the police official said.

The assailants were seen fleeing towards the Balasan area after the incident. Responding policemen found five empty shells of a caliber-.45 pistol at the crime scene.

Salinas said investigators are now looking into Tenefrancia’s work to determine the possible motive for the killing.

Tenefrancia had been in charge of hiring and dispatching vans that bring fellow ACF workers to areas devastated by “Yolanda” in Estancia, other parts of Iloilo’s fifth district, and nearby areas of Capiz, he said.

Salinas said he has directed police in Estancia to speed up the process of identifying the gunmen, as well as those who may be behind the attack.

Additional policemen have also been deployed to help secure members of ACF and other aid organizations operating in Iloilo’s fifth district, he said.

“Nakakahiya kasi kung ganito, tinutulungan na nga ng ACF ‘yung victims ng ‘Yolanda’ tapos may ganitong mangyayari. This would appear to be a big ingratitude to them. But we maintain that this is an isolated incident, not an attack on the whole of ACF or all humanitarian aid groups here,” Salinas said.

ACF started operating in Estancia after “Yolanda” devastated different parts of the country, particularly in the Visayas, on November 8, 2013.

Estancia suffered an oil spill when a barge owned by the National Power Corporation was wrecked in Brgy. Botongon at the height of the typhoon.

Some 200,000 liters of bunker oil spilled to the town’s coast and rivers, affecting the local fishing industry, food supply, and posing a danger to residents’ health, according to authorities.

That incident, along with the destruction of many houses by the typhoon, forced a number of families to evacuate from the coasts of Estancia and neighboring areas. (John Roson)

The mayor of Maitum, Sarangani, died Saturday morning after being ambushed by armed men Friday night, police said.

Mayor George Perrett expired at a hospital in General Santos City 2:40 a.m. because of cardiac arrest and loss of blood, after suffering a bullet wound to the leg, Supt. Jomar Alexis Yap, Sarangani provincial police deputy director, said by phone.

Perrett’s wife Elsie Lucille, a former mayor of Maitum, was not hurt in the attack but one of the couple’s aides, Andelma Andal, was injured, Yap said.

The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m., while Perrett, his wife, and some of ther aides were passing through Purok Bugo, Brgy. Malalag, on their Toyota Fortuner.

Perrett, his wife, and Andal were initially brought to the Maitum Hospital, but were later transferred to the Saint Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos City, said Senior Insp. Aldrin Gonzales, Central Mindanao regional police spokesman.

Armed men fired upon soldiers securing the cathedral then hastily left, Cenabre said.

Iting and Salo, who happened to be at the church, were hit by stray bullets, he said.

Initial investigation by the Jolo Police indicated a slightly different story.

A man went inside the cathedral, where Agustin and Panitan took post, then forcibly grabbed the M16 rifle of one of the soldiers, Senior Insp. Kris Conrad Gutierrez, Sulu provincial police spokesman, said.

The man immediately fired upon one soldier and went after the other – who ran towards the kitchen – and shot him, Gutierrez said, citing information from the Jolo Police.

Iting, Salo and a cook aged 30 were caught in the volley of fire, he said.

Cenabre said Agustin and Panitan were rushed to the Camp Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Brgy. Busbus, but were both declared dead by military doctors.

The injured children were taken to the Sulu Provincial Hospital and are now in stable condition, he said.

Police and members of the MBLT-9 have been deployed to Brgy. San Raymundo to locate the assailant. (John Roson)

The assailants, however, took the DVD recorder of the house’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, apparently to leave no evidence. They also took the family’s Toyota Hi-Lux and used it as their “getaway vehicle,” Guzman said.

The pick-up truck was found abandoned in Concepcion, Tarlac, she said.

Guzman said police in San Fernando City have already invited two persons for “questioning.”

The chase in Taal also resulted in the recovery of the black Honda Wave motorcycle which Sandoval’s assailants rode.

The motorcycle, despite having only a “for registration” plate, was traced through the Land Transportation Office as being owned by Briones, Laraya said.

On Friday, police arrested Mrs. Mendoza after a police raid on her and her husband’s three homes in Brgys. Calayaan and Bihis yielded an M16 rifle, caliber-.9mm pistol, caliber-.30 Carbine rifle, caliber-.22 pistol, and two caliber-.45 pistols.

The raiding team also seized a 1994 model Mitsubishi Pajero (TSG-872) which, according to Espejo, was used during their “surveillance,” Laraya said. (John Roson)

The five, all natives of Sual, were eating around 12:30 a.m. when they were killed by about 10 armed and bonnet-wearing men, Manongdo said.

Investigation indicated that the armed men first held the five at gunpoint, tied up the hands and feet of Jomer and Albert with plastic straps, then hacked the duo’s heads with a bladed instrument, he said.

“When Rommel, Ernesto, and Ronald attempted to fight back, they were shot on the different parts of the body. As a consequence, all victims died on the spot,” Manongdo said in a text message.

Responding policemen found 16 empty shells and five slugs of caliber-.45 pistols and 14 plastic straps at the scene. A fan knife and a cellphone were recovered from Rommel and Albert’s bodies, respectively.

Investigators are looking at a possibility that the killings are related to the victims’ alleged involvement in criminal activities.

Information gathered from the area indicated that the five were engaged in robbery (akyat-bahay), cattle rustling, and theft, Manongdo said.

It was also learned that Rommel had been convicted for a case of robbery with acts of lasciviousness but was granted parole last April, the provincial police spokesman added.

Members of the Bugallon Police are still conducting an “in-depth investigation” to determine the assailants’ identities, he said. (John Roson)

A Department of Education (Dep-Ed) official and a school principal were injured after being shot by armed men in Salipada K. Pendatun town, Maguindanao, Sunday morning, the military said.

Abas Minsu, the Dep-Ed’s district supervisor for the town, and Teng Mangindra, principal of the Bai Tumbabay Elementary School, were brought to a hospital in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, due to injuries, Army 6th Infantry Division spokesman Col. Dickson Hermoso said.

The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. while Minsu and Mangindra were riding a motorcycle at the boundary of Brgys. Ramcor and Bagundang.

Minsu and Mangindra were heading towards Brgy. Ramcor when one of two men on another motorcycle shot them with a caliber-.45 pistol, Hermoso said.

Local police are still trying to determine the assailants’ identities and motive, he said. (John Roson)